Heating means



May 21,- 1946.

- H. S. WHELLER HEATING MEANS Filed April 17, 1943 Patented May 21, 1946 Harry Stewart Wheller,

to L. J. Wing Mfg. 00., poration of New York Elizabeth, N. 1., assignor New York, N. Y.,. a. cor- Application April 17, 1943, Serial No. 483,526

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a mixing chamber by means of which two separate streams, each of characteristics differing from the other, are each broken up into relatively thin parts, which parts are intimately mixed together and discharged from the chamber as one stream, of which they constitute thin components, so arranged relative to one another that components having the characteristics of one stream are separated by a component having the characteristics of the other stream.

In one form of the present invention, it relates more particularly to the use of such a mixing chamber in a heating system in which the temperature of the air discharged therefrom is regulated or controlled by mixing a selected volume of unheated air with a selected volume of air heated in the system, the temperature of the resulting discharged air then being that somewhere between the temperatures of the heated and unheated air, depending on the proportionate volumes of each which have been mixed together.

Systems of this kind have generally employed a meansfor heating a stream-of air circulated through it and a means for bypassing air around the heating means on the outside thereof.

Dampers are also employed to regulate the volume of air circulated through the heating means and through the bypass means.

The bypassed stream of unheated air is then introduced alongside of or parallel to the heated stream of air issuing from the heating means in order, by mixing the two streams together, to produce one stream of uniform temperature.

Such systems of the paratively inefiective and unsatisfactory to regulate the temperature of the air discharged from the system because heretofore there was provided for this purpose no effective means for adequately mixing the relatively large streams of heated v and unheated air.

Where, as in the prior art, relatively large streams of heated and unheated air are discharged into an open space, they do not thoroughly mix together but tend to continue in a condition of separate streams.

Or, where the heated and unheated streams of air are there confined in a duct. they also do not thoroughly mix together until they have traveled together in the duct a relatively long distance, which distance of travel, for practical reasons, cannot always be provided in actual practice.

In any event, therefore, the temperature of the air stream discharged from the heating systems of the prior art is consequently not uniform throughout.

Such lack of uniformity, where the air is discharged into a room that is occupied by persons, causes discomfort to them, since, if they are in the path of the heated air, they will be too warm prior art have been com-- .Figs. 1 to 3, air is and if in the path of the unheated air, they will be too cool. v

Similarly, where the'air discharged from the heating system is used for certain industrial processes, a non-uniform temperature of the air may produce unsatisfactory results in the practice of the processes. a

The present invention, which has now been successfully used, therefore contemplates the provision of an air mixing chamber which may be combined or associated with a heating system or device of this kind so that each column of heated and unheated air, introduced into the chamber, is broken up into thin streams which flow from the chamber in the same general direction to constitute immediately adjacent, alternately arranged, heated and unheated components or layers of the stream of air discharged from the sys-. tem and which components or layers completely mix together within a comparaand thoroughly tively short Iength of travel from the chamber to provide the uniform temperature sought.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be clear from the description which follows and the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view through a heating device, according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bafllemeans for dividing the heated and unheated streams of air into thin alternate adjacent columns or layers thereof.

Throughout the figures of the drawing, the direction of flow of unheated streams of air is indicated by full lines and arrows and the direction of flow of heated streams of air isindicated by broken lines and arrows.

In that practical embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated by way of example in circulated through the heating system with which the mixing chamber is associated as by a fan i2, which is schematically shown in a duct W, leading from a source of air.

The construction of the fan, its relative position in the system or its driving means need not be illustrated in detail, since they are well known in the art and may vary as selected.

The heater carrying part M, which is preferably a separate unit, is secured by means of the flanges l6 and id to the damper 20 carrying part 22, which likewise is preferably a separate unit.

In the description and drawing, details of construction of the different parts, the duct and other parts of the heating system are only schematically illustrated and described as that will be suiiicient for an understanding of the invention, since all these and well known to those skilled in the art,

I secure to the top and bottom walls 24 of the elements are conventional 32 on the outside side 48 and top nected flanges 52 and 54.

In this type of heater steam is used as the heating medium which is circulated through the finned heating tubes 33 (shown in part) secured to the steam and return headers 35, which connect, to the steam system.

To circulate all the air through the heater 32, so that heated air at the maximumtemperature will be discharged from the system, the damper 20 is swung into position against the damper seat 34 (as indicated by the broken lines) to completely shut ofi circulation of air through the passageway 36, in the damper. part 22 and which passageway leads to the heater bypass 38 in the part l4. o

To bypass air completely around the heater air will be discharged from the system, the damper 20 is swung into position on the pivot 28 against the other seat 40 (as indicated by the broken lines) to close 01f the air passageway 42 to the heater. y

In this position of the damper, air is circulated only through the passageway 36 and the bypass 38, formed in the heater part I 4 by'the plate 44 secured in any suitable airtight manner to the frame 46 of the heater casing 32 and the 50 of the part l4.

In order to regulate the relative volume of air circulated through and bypassing the heater so that the column of heated and unheated air may be coordinately controlled in selected proportion, the damper 20 is swung into the necessary selected position intermediate the seats 34 and 40.

Any suitable damper arrangement may be used; that just described being for purposes of illustration only.

The heated and unheated air streams thus discharged from the heater part M are mixed together before the air isdischarged from the system, the temperature of the discharged air being the average temperature resulting from the mixture of the heated and unheated air.

7 As pointed out, the construction of prior art devices did not produce thorough and complete mixing of the heated and unheated components.

At best, they produced a comparatively small number of relatively large and unheated air.

mixing chamber 56, which heater carrying section I 4 by means of the con-- In order to direct the air into theheater 32 thereof, so that only unheated carryingpart 22 and side'62 of the part 22.

That part where the inclined front wall 66 and rear wall 68 in the same general direction of chamber as one stream the components of which The element 14 comprises the spaced preferably triangular shaped plates 80, the apices of which are arranged in an air tight manner along an edge of the heater 32.

To form spaced relatively narrow passages 82 r the heater air, which means of the cut-oil walls 86.

' To separate each heated air passage 82 from the next adjacent heated air passage by a. relatively narrow passage 90'f0r I Because these components are relatively thin they quickly merge into one another to form a mixing chamber.

In order to distribute the heated air throughout the passages 82 and to insure I flow across the area of the outlet thereto, I sealong the top and bottom 16 of the chamber 56, spaced air deflectttherefore completely fill them from top tobotom. 1 i

For the same purpose, I secure in'the'c'ompartment 92, along the sides of the mixing chamber, spaced air deflecting vanes 98, which inthe illustration need only be two in numberbecause san er:

the walls 88 are shorter than the walls 85, and which vanes are curved toward the walls 88 so that the unheated air is swept toward the closed sides of the passages 92 to fill them from top to bottom.

The plates 80 I as will break up the thin enough for the to some extent will heater section used.

In practice I have found a distance oi! two to four inches between the plates provides excellent results, using a space oi. two inches for a heater two feet square and four inches for a heater four feet square.

It will now be recognized that in the practice of my invention, commimication between the heated air inlet compartment t and the unheated air inlet compartment s2 is shut OK so that air from one does not leak into the other are spaced such distance apart streams into compartments purpose desired and which depend on the size of the before the streams are brolse up and intermingled as described.

To accomplish this, the heme element Id may be secured to the heater casing in any suitable manner, as welding or soldering, to provide an air tight joint along the apices 99, where they v rest against the heater section 32 (see Fig. 1) so that communication between the compartments Maud 92 is shut off.

While name plates or walls as of other shapes may be used in the practice of my invention, I have found that those 'of triangular shape are most advantageous. 1

Such triangular shape permits the baffle plates to be constructed from a minimum quantity of material.

Further this triangular shape results in a more compact construction because the bafile element may be placed directly against the heater part in contact therewith, whereas with other shapes an open space between the heater part and the baiiie element must be allowed.

In addition this triangular shape reduces the resistance to air flow in the mixing chamber by providing a greater aperture area for a given air flow than is provided by other shapes of baffle plates or walls and further leaves space available wherein relatively inexpensive deflecting vanes, such as those illustrated in Fig. 1, may be arranged.

With other shaped plates or walls, the overall length of the mixing in order to accommodate such inexpensive denesting vanes or in the alternative separate vanes must he installed in each thin passage, which is a dimcult and expensive method of construction.

While in the foregoing description, my invention has been illustrated as applied to a heatin system, it will be understood that it may be' used' with equal advantage in connection with cooling systems.

When applied to a cooling system, the operation of the air stratifying and strata mixing chamber is practically the same as heretofore described except that a cooling element is employed instead of the heating element and a cooled stream of air is, mixed together with an uncooled stream of air.

It will now be apparent that I have provided a means for mixing together separate streams, each of different characteristics, which are intimately intermingled to rapidly cpnstitute a single stream that is throughout uniform in characteristic. a

chamber must be increased the damper and the mixing appended claims.

an air duct tor unheated air; a heater in the air duct; said air duct having two passages, one for circulating air through the heater and the other for icy-passing air outside and around the heater; a damper in the duct swingabie into a selected position between the passages and adapted to shut oil" one or the other passage; an air. stream stratifying chamber in the duct positioned to receive heated air from the heater and unheated air bypassing the heater; 9. baths arranged in the air stream stratifying chamber, said baille comprising a plurality of spaced triangular plates forming air paths therebetween, spaced walls joining pairs of adjacent plates and extending along one side of the plates from the apices thereof to one of the ends of the bases thereof and second mentioned spaced walls extending along other sides of the plates from the apices thereof to the other ends of the bases thereof and joining pairs of adjacent plates, said second mentioned walls spaced intermediate the first mentioned walls; said baiile arranged in the air stream stratifying chamber with apex extending along the inner side edge of the heater and the plates extending therefrom perpendicular to the heater with the base of the plates in the chamber outlet to form an inlet compartment to the air paths between the first mentioned walls for the air circulated through the heater and a second inlet compartment to the air paths hetween the second mentioned walls ior the air bypassed around the heater.

2. In a heating system; an air duct, a. heater therein, a damper for controlling the relative proportionate circulation of air through or bypassed around the heater, an. air stratifying chamber in the duct; said heater intermediate chamber; and a three sided air stratifying means comprising a plurality of spaced plates arranged in the chamber, walls joining pairs of plates along one side of the stratifying means to block off access thereat from the heater to alternat spaces between the plates and second mentioned walls,

the chamber along the inner edge of the heater adjacent the heater by pass.

3. In an airstratifying chamber, ior arrangement in a system in which two separate streams of air are circulated, a plurality of spaced triangular plates forming separated air paths thereloetween and arranged within the chamber with the apices of the plates at the entrance to the chamber and spaced inwardly from the sides of the chamber and the exit to the chamber,

by the state of the prior art.

bases or the. plates at the, spaced walls at one or the 4 sides of th plates joining adjacent pairs of plates to close'access at the entrance to the chamber to alternate'air paths by one of the streams ofhair,

and second mentioned walls at the other sides of the plates joining adjacent pairs oi plates to close access at the entrance to the chamber to the remaining air paths by the other stream of air, all said air'paths being open at the chamber exit.

4. In -'a ventilating system, an air duct, a heat exchange unit mounted in the duct and extending between two opposite walls and spaced from one of the other ,two opposite walls of said duct,

means for dividing the air flow throughsaid duct into two streams, one of which streams passes through said unit and the other of which streams by-passes around said unit, an air stratifying chamber, spaced triangular plates in the chamber forming a plurality of adjacent air paths, the apices of said plates located in the inlet; of said chamber along the edge of the heat exchange unit spaced from said wall and with the bases of said plates at the exit of the chamber, spaced walls at one plates joining adplates joining adjacent pairs of plates to close I access to remaining air paths between the plates by the air stream by-passed around said unit, all said air paths bein open at the chamber exit.

chamber exit.

6. In an air stratifying. chamber for arrangement in the duct oi a ventilating system having two streams one of which passes through the heater and the other of which by-passes around said heater, a plurality of spaced triangular plates forming separated air paths therebetween and arranged within the chamber with the apices of the plates at the entrance to the chamber intermediate the top and bottom walls of the chamber for mounting the apices along the said edge of the heater in the ventilating system, the bases of the plates at the exit to the chamber, spaced walls at one joining adjacent pairs of plates to close access to alternate air paths by one of the streams of air in the ,duct and second mentioned walls at the other sides oi the plates joining adjacent pairs of plates to close access to the remaining air paths by the other stream of ment to the remaining air paths.

7. In an air stratifying chamber for arrange-' ment in the duct of a ventilating system havair vanes in each compartment.

8. In an air stratifying chamber for arrangement in the duct of a ventilating system having a heater and in which the heater is mounted with the edge thereof intermediate two opposite walls of the duct, said system having means for dividing the air flow through the system into two streams one of which passes through the heater and the other of which by-passes around said heater, a plurality of forming separated air said first mentioned sides constituting with the chamber an inlet compartment to the first mentioned alternate air paths and and spaced air vanes in one of curved toward the walls thereat. 4

9. The ventilating system of claim 4 and including a compartment adjacent the first mentioned walls and a second compartment adjacent the second mentioned walls, communication between the said compartments being shut 01f.

HARRY STEWART WHELLER.

7 said second mentioned sides constituting with the chamber a second inlet compartment to the remaining air paths the compartments 

